This invention is related to a portable insulated pad that includes a plurality of heat-reflective, insulating slats, a breathable top sheet, and a water resistant bottom sheet. The pad is designed to protect the user from cold or wet surfaces, to provide the user with a warm seat, and to allow the pad to be bundled, making it easy to transport.
Seats made from slats or thin strips of material are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,001,252, issued to Johnson, teaches a portable, foldable chair consisting of a plurality of slats, preferably made of wood, with the slats held in place by strips of fabric stitched together to form individual pockets for each slat. The chair can be folded and rolled into a bundle for transporting. Other materials, such as moldable thermoplastic materials and various fabrics have also been used to make strips which are then joined to form seats. If the slats or strips of material are thin and relatively narrow, the seat can be rolled into a bundle or folded into a relatively small unit for easy transport. Slats made from wood, thermoplastic materials, or fabric, provide some protection against uncomfortable surfaces, but do not reflect body heat back to the user.
Pads designed for sporting activities have used heat-reflective, insulating materials. U.S. Pat. No. 3,259,925, issued to Tilles, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,603,639, issued to Wilson, teach using foamed polystyrene as a heat reflector and insulator in cushions. However, in both the '925 patent and the '639 patent, the resultant cushions are not thin, making them difficult to fold into small bundles.